Nominations for the 2020 Ovation! Awards have just been announced – and, as usual, New Westminster is a dominant presence.
Leading the way for the locals is Royal City Musical Theatre, which raked in nine nominations for its production of Singin’ in the Rain. The show ran at the Massey Theatre in April.
It’s up for Outstanding Community Production, a category in which it’s pitted against Studio 58’s Cabaret and Theatre Under the Stars’ Newsies.
Singin’ in the Rain also earned nominations for Outstanding Direction (Valerie Easton), Outstanding Musical Direction (James Bryson), Outstanding Choreography (Valerie Easton), Outstanding Costume Design (Christopher David Gauthier), Outstanding Set Design (Brian Ball) and Outstanding Lighting Design (Gerald King).
Two performers also earned nominations: Robyn Wallis, who earned an Outstanding Supporting Performance – Female nomination for her turn as Lina Lamont; and Graeme Kitagawa, for Outstanding Newcomer. (Kitagawa’s nomination is also for his work in TUTS’ Newsies.)
Patrick Street Productions’ production of the one-person musical Herringbone, which ran at the Anvil Centre in October, scored three nominations: Outstanding Lighting Design (Sophie Tang) and Outstanding Leading Performance – Female (Luisa Jojic), along with a special Outstanding Artistic Achievement nomination for pianist Sean Bayntun.
Other current and former New Westminster residents also feature among the nominees.
Among them are Nicol Spinola, up for Outstanding Choreography for work on Align Entertainment’s Annie; Christina Sinosich, up for Outstanding Costume Design for work on Raincity Theatre’s Company; Paige Fraser, up for Outstanding Leading Performance – Female for Studio 58’s Cabaret; and Caleb Lagayan, up for Outstanding Leading Performance – Male for Eternal Theatre Collective’s Bare: A Pop Opera.
Awards will be presented at a gala on Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Vancouver Academy of Music.
For the full list of nominees, and to vote in Audience Choice categories, see http://www.applausemusicals.com/2020-ovation-awards-celebrating-2019.html. (Take note that you can vote for Patrick Street Productions’ It’s a Wonderful Life in the 2019 Audience Choice: Outstanding Special Event/Non-Juried Show category.)
Do know of any local connections we’ve missed? If you know of any other New Westminster residents that should be acknowledged, please email Julie, [email protected].
